A Year of Prayer and Healing to help renew, revive and restore the faith in Western New York was launched by the Diocese of Buffalo this past Ash Wednesday. Each vicariate was designated a month to hold events to gather together in prayer for the victim survivors of sexual abuse and the whole Catholic community. The Eastern Erie vicariate (Alden, Bowmansville, Cheektowaga, Depew, East Aurora, Elma, Lancaster, Orchard Park, Springbrook, West Falls and West Seneca) will be hosting events during the month of November, many of which have already been scheduled.

On both Friday, Nov. 8 and 29, Our Lady Help of Christians Church on Union Road in Cheektowaga will have 8:15 a.m. Mass, followed by the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament with praying of the rosary, concluding with Benediction at noon.

The Church of the Annunciation on Clinton Street in Elma will host a Taizé Prayer Service at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6. Also, on Friday, Nov. 15, there will be Eucharistic Adoration after the 9 a.m. Mass, concluding with Benediction at 8:30 p.m. On Wednesday, Nov. 20, a Mass, with the Sacrament of Healing, will begin at 7 p.m.

Our Lady of Pompeii Church on Laverack Avenue in Lancaster will have a Mass, with reflection on the Gospel of Matthew and Eucharistic Adoration, at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

On Friday, Nov. 22, St. Gabriel Church on Clinton Street in Elma will have Mass at 11:30 a.m., followed by the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Praying of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be at 3 p.m. and the rosary with reflection at 5 p.m., followed by Benediction at 6 p.m.

Catholics of the Eastern Erie Vicariate parishes, and all of Western New York, are invited to participate in these sacred prayer and healing events. A full schedule of events will be published in the November issue of the Western New York Catholic, and also posted on the Church of the Annunciation's website (www.annunciation.cc).